IrfanView Review: View and Edit All Kinds of Images

When viewing photos on our computer, it is convenient to have a good program with which, in addition to being compatible with all kinds of formats, it can be used to edit them at any given time. Windows incorporates its own photo viewer, but this is quite limited in functions, so it does not hurt to resort to an alternative such as IrfanView , which we will talk about next.

What is IrfanView

IrfanView

IrfanView is a complete free image viewer characterized by being light, fast and recognizing more than 90 image formats (BMP, DIB, JPEG, GIF, PNG, PCX TIFF, RAW etc) including retouching tools and basic effects. It also has support for drag and drop, TWAIN, automatic photo scrolling, format converter and full directory viewing.

This small tool will allow us to generate thumbnails of the photographs or images in order to easily see and find the one we are looking for. It is compatible with most professional application filters, such as Photoshop. It also allows us to convert images to other formats different from the original, being highly customizable thanks to the number and variety of plugins available.

IrfanView functions

See a picture

When we run IrfanView we will see a Main Menu . On the left side of it we can browse folders to find the images. Once a folder with images is found, they will appear as thumbnails. If we select an image we double click, it will appear in a separate window from where we can edit it.

IrfanView menú principal

Resize or resize

If we want to resize or resize an image, we must go to the Image menu at the top and select the Resize / Resample option. Here we will get a new menu with all the available options. We will be able to establish a new size, changing the width and height, being advisable to check the box Maintain aspect ratio, so that the image is not deformed.

Convert image format

With IrfanView we can convert or change the format of any image. To do this, with the selected image we must go to the File menu. Here we will choose the Save As option. Now, we can change the name of the image if we want and, most importantly, select the type of format that we want to convert. Once finished we will have a copy of the image in a different format from the original.

IrfanView cambiar formato de imagen

Edit images easily

If we want to make small adjustments to our images, we can do it with IrFanView. In this way, if we have an image selected, we must go to the top menu and select Image again. From here, we will have various editing functions , such as applying image effects, converting an image to grayscale, rotating it, setting it to negative, decreasing the intensity of the color, etc.

Take screenshot

With IrfanView we can also take screenshots . To do this, in the top menu we must select Options. Here we must select the Screen Capture option. Now we will see a menu where we can choose the capture area, the capture method and how we can view the image after capture, where we can choose where the captured image will be saved. Once the parameters have been chosen, we select Start.

Download IrfanView

IrfanView is a completely free application for non-commercial use, which we can download directly from its website . Although the program comes in English, it is possible to download Spanish language, as well as some additional plugins to increase your productivity. The installation file is fast and compact, weighing only 3 MB . It is compatible with Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 and 10 in 32 and 64 bit versions.

Alternatives to IrfanView

IrfanView is an excellent tool to view all kinds of images, but in case, for some reason you are not convinced, here are some alternatives :

  • XnView : is a small application with which we can view, organize and manage all kinds of files and images. It also allows us to convert and edit raster images, compatible with more than 400 formats. We can download it for free from this link .
  • JPEGView : This is a small and simple tool to view and edit images. In addition, it has autocorrect functions, EXIF data reader, among other features. It is completely free software that we can download from here .
  • Nomacs : This is a very fast image viewer capable of supporting all kinds of image formats, allowing easy editing, as well as comparing two images to find differences. It is a free application that we can download from its website .
  • ImageGlass: this program is a light image viewer and for our computer, supporting more than 70 different formats including PSD or RAW. In addition, it has additional simple editing functions. It is a free application that you can download from this link .
  • FastStone : is an application with which we can view images of all kinds. It includes a browser that is responsible for displaying thumbnails of the images, as well as basic editing options. You can download it for free from its website .